Gunns Limited (asx: GNS) is a major forestry enterprise located in Tasmania, Australia. Founded in 1875 by brothers John and Thomas Gunn, it is one of Australia's oldest companies. It has over 900 square kilometres of plantations, mainly eucalyptus trees. It is Tasmania's largest private land-owner. The company employs over 1200 people and has a turnover in excess of AUS$600 million. Gunns is the largest woodchipper in the Southern Hemisphere, with a monopoly in Tasmania's forest industry . Gunns also runs retail stores throughout Tasmania including several Mitre 10 outlets and the Tamar Ridge winery.

Western Australia

Criticism

In 1989, the chairman of Gunns, Edmund Rouse, unsuccessfully attempted to bribe a Labor member, Jim Cox, to cross the floor, which would have allowed the pro-logging Tasmanian government of premier Robin Gray and the Liberal Party to resume power. A Royal Commission followed and convicted Rouse. Robin Gray is now a director of Gunns Limited.

Further allegations of corruption appeared when Paul Lennon, Premier of Tasmania, had his heritage home renovated by a Gunns-owned company at the height of Gunns' push for the Bell Bay Pulp Mill. Lennon refused to disclose how much he paid for the renovations.

Bell Bay Pulp Mill

main: Bell Bay Pulp Mill

Gunns 20

In Gunns Limited v Marr & Ors , Gunns filed a writ in the Supreme Court of Victoria, against 20 individuals and organisations including Senator Bob Brown, for over 7.8 million dollars.

The original list of defendants was:

Gunns claims that the defendants have sullied its reputation and caused it to lose jobs and profits. The defendants claim that they are protecting the environment. The defendants have become collectively known as the Gunns 20.

Opponents and critics of the case have suggested that the writ was filed with the intent to discourage public criticism of the company, in a similar vein to a Strategic lawsuit against public participation, commonly used in North America, and the English McLibel case of McDonald's Restaurants against environmental activists Helen Steel and David Morris over a pamphlet critical of the company. Gunns has maintained the position that they are merely trying to prevent parties enjoined to the writ from undertaking unlawful activities that disrupt their business.

At a hearing before the Supreme Court of Victoria, an amended statement of claim lodged by the company and served on defendants on July 1, 2005 was dismissed.. However, the judge in the case granted the company leave to lodge a third version of their statement of claim with the court no later than August 15, 2005.